The Prison World’s Secret

The canyon did not feel the same anymore.

The darkness was still there. The strange wind still whispered through the cracked stone walls. But something invisible had changed.

Hope.

Kemp noticed it first.

The fear in his chest, which had been heavy since they arrived in this world, felt slightly lighter now. Not gone—but lighter.

Sarmon Kramsa and Birson Terang stood before them, no longer monsters, no longer enemies.

Humans.

Survivors.

Victims of this world.

Kemp sheathed his sword fully and took a deep breath.

Kemp:
“So…”
(pause)
“What is this place really?”

Birson looked up toward the narrow strip of sky visible between the canyon walls. His eyes darkened.

Birson:
“This world has many names.”
(pause)
“But the truth is simple.”
(pause)
“It is a prison.”

Alir frowned.

Alir:
“A prison… for who?”

Sarmon answered calmly.

Sarmon:
“For anyone who threatens the gods.”
(pause)
“For anyone who refuses to kneel.”

Serdihun felt a chill run through her body.

Serdihun:
“…Like us?”

Sarmon nodded slowly.

Sarmon:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“And like Kemp.”

Kemp clenched his fists.

Kemp:
“So Narkaal didn’t just throw us here randomly.”

Birson shook his head.

Birson:
“No.”
(pause)
“He sent you here to disappear.”
(pause)
“To break.”
(pause)
“To die slowly.”

Serdihun 2 swallowed hard.

Serdihun 2:
“This world…”
(pause)
“It really feels like it wants us dead.”

Birson gave a bitter smile.

Birson:
“Because it does.”

They began walking deeper into the canyon. The path twisted downward, leading into darker tunnels carved by time and suffering.

As they walked, Sarmon spoke.

Sarmon:
“Long ago…”
(pause)
“This world was alive.”
(pause)
“It had oceans, forests, cities.”

Alir’s eyes widened.

Alir:
“Cities?”

Birson nodded.

Birson:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“Civilizations rose here.”
(pause)
“People lived.”
(pause)
“They dreamed.”

Kemp felt anger rising.

Kemp:
“What happened?”

Sarmon stopped walking.

Sarmon:
“The gods happened.”

Silence followed.

Sarmon:
“When mortals learned to challenge fate…”
(pause)
“When they questioned divine rule…”
(pause)
“The gods erased their world.”
(pause)
“But instead of destroying it completely…”
(pause)
“They turned it into a cage.”

Serdihun whispered.

Serdihun:
“That’s cruel…”

Birson:
“Cruelty is easy when you call it balance.”

They reached a wide underground chamber.

Broken pillars stood like gravestones. Ancient symbols covered the walls, glowing faintly.

Kemp stepped closer to one symbol.

Kemp:
“…This looks familiar.”

Serdihun 2 gasped.

Serdihun 2:
“These markings…”
(pause)
“They’re sealing runes.”

Sarmon nodded.

Sarmon:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“This entire world is wrapped in divine seals.”
(pause)
“They suppress power.”
(pause)
“They weaken magic.”
(pause)
“They force survival without strength.”

Alir clenched her bow.

Alir:
“So that’s why our powers don’t work.”

Birson:
“Exactly.”
(pause)
“You are meant to suffer here.”
(pause)
“Until hope dies.”

Kemp closed his eyes.

Kemp:
“…That won’t happen.”

Sarmon looked at him carefully.

Sarmon:
“We thought the same.”
(pause)
“Once.”

Serdihun looked at Sarmon.

Serdihun:
“What kept you alive then?”

Sarmon’s voice softened.

Sarmon:
“Each other.”
(pause)
“And a secret.”

Kemp opened his eyes.

Kemp:
“What secret?”

Birson stepped forward and placed his hand on the ground.

The stone trembled.

Slowly, faint golden lines appeared beneath the dust.

Alir gasped.

Alir:
“That light—!”

Birson:
“This world is a prison.”
(pause)
“But even prisons have cracks.”

The ground shifted, revealing an ancient symbol—half broken, half erased.

Sarmon:
“This is the Heart Seal.”
(pause)
“It binds the world.”

Serdihun 2 stared in awe.

Serdihun 2:
“If it breaks…”

Birson:
“The prison weakens.”
(pause)
“And power returns.”

Kemp felt something stir in his chest.

Kemp:
“…Is that why Narkaal is afraid?”

Sarmon smiled faintly.

Sarmon:
“Yes.”
(pause)
“You are not the first prisoner.”
(pause)
“But you are the first bridge.”

The word echoed.

Bridge.

Serdihun:
“Kemp connects worlds…”

Birson:
“And that connection reacts to the seal.”
(pause)
“This world rejects gods.”
(pause)
“But it listens to humans.”

Kemp knelt beside the symbol.

He placed his hand near it.

Nothing exploded.

Nothing glowed brightly.

Instead—

The stone felt warm.

Alive.

Kemp:
“…It’s breathing.”

The walls trembled slightly.

Dust fell from above.

Alir grabbed Kemp’s arm.

Alir:
“Kemp, be careful!”

Sarmon raised his hand.

Sarmon:
“Stop.”
(pause)
“Not yet.”

Kemp pulled back.

Sarmon:
“If the seal breaks too early…”
(pause)
“The gods will know.”
(pause)
“And they will erase everything.”

Serdihun felt fear return.

Serdihun:
“Then what do we do?”

Birson straightened.

Birson:
“We prepare.”
(pause)
“We move.”
(pause)
“We awaken the forgotten paths.”

Serdihun 2 tilted her head.

Serdihun 2:
“Forgotten paths?”

Sarmon pointed deeper into the tunnel.

Sarmon:
“There are survivors in this world.”
(pause)
“Hidden.”
(pause)
“Waiting.”

Alir:
“Other humans?”

Birson nodded.

Birson:
“Some.”
(pause)
“Some are… different.”
(pause)
“Changed by the prison.”

Kemp stood up.

Kemp:
“Then we find them.”
(pause)
“We unite.”
(pause)
“And we break this place.”

Sarmon looked into Kemp’s eyes.

Sarmon:
“That path will cost lives.”

Kemp’s expression hardened.

Kemp:
“So does doing nothing.”

Silence.

Then Birson smiled.

Birson:
“…You really are dangerous.”

Suddenly—

A deep pulse echoed through the chamber.

The symbols flickered violently.

Serdihun 2 gasped.

Serdihun 2:
“The seal reacted!”

Sarmon’s face darkened.

Sarmon:
“…Narkaal felt that.”

Far away—

In a realm beyond worlds—

Narkaal opened his eyes.

Narkaal:
“…They found it.”

Dark energy surged around him.

Narkaal:
“The prison is stirring.”
(pause)
“The bridge must be broken.”

Back in the prison world, the chamber shook.

Kemp clenched his fists.

Kemp:
“Then we don’t have much time.”

Alir stepped beside him.

Alir:
“We’re with you.”

Serdihun nodded.

Serdihun:
“Till the end.”

Serdihun 2 smiled nervously.

Serdihun 2:
“…Even if this world hates us.”

Sarmon raised his sword.

Birson lifted his staff.

Sarmon:
“Then let us show this prison…”

Birson:
“…that humans do not vanish quietly.”

The ancient world trembled.

The seal pulsed.

And for the first time in ages—

The prison world felt fear.